The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-07-29
ON A MEXICAN STREET.
STRANGE PHASES OF LIFE NOTED
BY An OBSERVER.

Atihtidht Nehdeis OF curious Articles
Lottery Ticket seIIers-water Carriers.
Dirty street Beggars-Birds for Sale.
Bulky Loads -''Isonny ciabber."
The lottery ticket sellers in Mexico are a
strong guild, for the business IS ii profitable
one. The lotteries are conducted by the gov
eminent and the ticket vendors are paid d
liberal percentage Of their sales. Men,
women and children recruit the ranks they
are found everywhere They have 40 distinc-
tive features save the great budget of tiimsy,
translucent tickets, which they try To force
upon the passer by, and their scissors for
shipping off coupons Several prominent
journals of the United States have lately
printed the remarkably statement that "all
the newsboys Of Mexico are women, who
never cry their papers but silently hold them
toward the passer." The chronicler of that
error had in mind these sellers Of lottery
tickets, the large printed sheets of which do
somewhat resemble newspapers. 1t is safe 70
gamble on" the proposition that there IS not
a woman peddling newspapers in Mexico.
The newsboys are men and lads who cry their
papers and a suggestion of their contents with
true professional yells They urge their wares
pertinaciously, thrusting them through the
windows of coaches and tram cars and in
vading the latter if they elude the CON
ductor's vigilance.
THE WATER CARRIERS.
The aguadOres or public water carriers are
picturesque and characteristic sights They
wear a species of leather harness, breastplate
backsheld and apron, and flat cap usually of
straw served with leather. On the back, Sis
pended by broad leather crossing the fore
head rests an earthen jar with three handles,
odd in shape called a chOchocOl, and from
another strap farther back on the head de
ponds the jarra, another earthenware vessel
shaped like a pitcher. In these utensils is
carried from the public fountains water for
domestic use in such houses as have no piped
water supply 1t is noticeable that these men
all have fiattened heads, as may well be, when
their craniums are subjected TO almost con-
slant pressure and the weight of some ten
gallons of water.
The street beggars are sights to be behold
vilely dirty and ragged for the most part,
they swarm in the streets and against the
doors of restaurants and other public resorts,
in defiance of the municipal efforts at their
repression But the effect Is to callOus the
sensibilities, instead of inspiring pity. Many
of the ailments are artificial and the exhibit
ors in comfortable circumstances. No end of
lazy or vicious people trump up story on the
spur of the moment to extract Shekels from
the stranger. The real misery of the country
is not amidst the professional mendlcants nor
these semi genteel beggars who come whining
with a story, interlarded with ceremOniOus
apologies and high flown compliments, of a
sick and needy grandfather, or a son, the sole
support of large and interesting family, I'M
justly thrown into prison. where he must Ian
guish for the lack of very small sum indeed,
which perhaps the senior whom the saints
requite, viii be good enough to lend
BIRDS LOADED WITH SHOT.
-,
standing on the curbstone holding out his
finger, on which perches a dainty bird, with
never am attempt to spread its wings ard fly
away, although the little, beady, bright eyes
are full of terror at the roar of the street. Is
the little creature druggedl No, it is toe
alert and bright of gaze for that. What
then, is the secret Of its tamenesss 1t is in
like condition to the Jumping Frog of GALAXY
eras, the vender having taken the preCau
ton to fiji up its gullet with shot before sally
ing forth to find an unposted purchaser. 1t
is unsafe to buy birds sold in the City of
Mexico, except with the precaution of keep
ing them several days on trial, lest they die
shortly, and after a bargain is concluded
after such a test they should never be trusted
in the hands of the seller who will administer
"A dose which will kill them after certain
period, to leave vacancy for fresh sales.
Here is "A tinware peddler, clad in white cot
ton raiment. He stalks along, surrounded by
a topping pile of tunnels, cans, huge barred
cages for parrots, and a variety of other
matters, whose use is hard TO divine. Then
the wovenwere man, who carries great loads
of mating woven from the tule reed, odd,
fanlike fire blowers aud the beautiful, Cylin-
dricnl baskets, woven in brilliant hues and
gsometriCsI design that come from Nuevo
Leon. These are in all sizes, from about
big as a beer bottle cork up to eight or ten
inches in diameter. They are very com
pressibe and make desirable cetchaIls, photo
graph holders, work baskets, etc, selling
from six to eighteen cents each.
BULKY LOADS.
Another fellow is carrying load Of bulk
enough 10 FIJI a cart It's weight is light
stools, baskets and lay figures for dresauakers
all fashioned out of Here is one
carrying, fastened together in n double row
more than twice his own length, twenty
Of the large chairs set out for him on the
Zocalo and the Alameda at the fashionable
hours of promenade there. Twenty eight
chairsl 1t is n marvel how they can Toe ar
ranged to hold together and balance. Close
behind this man comes another strapping feel
low, across his shoulder resting long pole, TO
which is firmly lashed OF small eartheu
Jugs "Jo-CO-o o-que-e el' is his cry And
what might that be- Curds, if You please
or, rather. what was known down south as
"bonuyclabber" Here is a perambulatiug
henuery, suspended by broad leather band
passing across the bearers head there rests
on his back big crate of cane. in the upper
compartment Of which are dozens Of fresh
eggs. and below large and enthusiastic rs
sortment Of chickens, duly provided with
their commissary department, and setting up
boisterous opposition 10 the loud calls of their
carrier Perhaps it indicates want of
courtesy TO name in such close iuxtopositiuu